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citizen. We will assemble a rival Bratva gang that will challenge Lenka. Given the new circumstances this will create he will be much more likely to do something truly felonious or stupid. Either will work for us.”
    â€œOh, I see. Yuri will be competition and draw them out. Yes?”
    â€œAnd I will be the idiotic American who brought this on himself, yes. In a nutshell, yes. It will be a little more complex than that, but that is where you start. So far, if I understand the situation, Lenka has been tidying up—removing local crooks and an occasional interloper from outside. He has no real competition in the area now. Another Bratva group is a different kettle of fish. The threat of a war between competing gangs will identify the players quickly. You pick them off as they emerge from the woodwork. He will understand that the Chobe is not his for the taking. He will have to rethink his plans. If we are lucky, he will be slow to figure it all out.”
    â€œI am not familiar with woodwork, but I think I follow. So, now it is you who airlifts the ditshukudu , sorry, the rhinos, into the park. At what expense? Never mind, I do not want to know. I will notify my boss of the change. When he understands, he will be pleased. I hope.”
    â€œAnd if he isn’t?”
    â€œWell, you have a saying, I think. ‘Sometimes it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission.’ Yes?”
    â€œYes.”

Chapter Eleven
    Irena Davidova sat in the passenger side of the HiLux and scanned the casino as Lenka drove by. He was talking about gaming and how free liquor always paid for itself when you gave it to gamblers because they became reckless and lost much more money. He said it had to be cheap whiskey or vodka, but there was no shortage of that. Irena listened with half an ear. Her mind was on the building and how she would have Oleg build her a penthouse on top. Well, it wouldn’t be much of a penthouse, really. The casino had only three floors. Still, she could have something like a fourth story added overlooking the pool and café seating around it. That would be something. A long balcony with a view of the bush, too. She decided she would like living in the wild and dangerous country with its lions and gorillas. Were there gorillas in Botswana? She’d have to ask. If there were none, maybe they could buy one and have it in a big cage behind the hotel. That would be a draw, wouldn’t it? Yes, she needed a safe place to settle. No more St. Petersburg ice and snow. No more freezing in the winter for Irena.
    â€œYou are not listening to me, Irena.”
    â€œYes I am. You were speaking of the whiskey.”
    â€œThat was ten minutes ago. I asked you if you were hungry and you said ‘We need a gorilla.’ What is that all about? There are no gorillas in Botswana, only baboons and monkeys.”
    At that moment a gray monkey dashed across the road. Lenka braked and swerved to avoid hitting it. Irena could have sworn the monkey grinned at her as if to say something naughty.
    â€œYou must catch that monkey, Oleg. I want him.”
    â€œCatch him? He’s gone. You will not see that fellow again for a long time. If he keeps dancing in front of automobiles, he will not last long, either.”
    â€œYou will get me a monkey?”
    â€œI already told you. You cannot collect or hunt the animals here. One of the Boers we hired tells me they shoot poachers in this country. How would it look if we come all this way and end up shot to death by the local army for poaching? Anyway, I thought you said gorilla. I will get you neither one. Come, we will be late for our meeting.”
    ***
    Sanderson saw the bakkie nearly hit the monkey and braked to make sure it managed to avoid disaster. She watched as it raced across the grassy lawn in front of the casino and disappeared into the trees beyond. She also noticed the people in the truck. It was that Russian who troubled Kgabo Modise so